San Jose: Coffee Capital of California

A few years ago in New York, there was a guy who decided to have a drink at every single Starbucks in the city. ‘Twas a noble venture indeed, and he did get faster (and jumpier) as he worked his way from street corner to street corner over long days and many a sleepless night. Who was he kidding?!

A survey published by the Daily Beast shows that San Jose ranks third for the number of coffee shops per capita in the US, with 20- for every 100,000 residents. In contrast, New York has only 8 per 100,000. And since statistics never lie, it is also worth noting that New Yorkers spend a measly $27 per month on coffee, while the good people of San Jose spend a respectable $34.

Admittedly, San Jose is not at the top of the pack when it comes to coffee shops per capita. The honor for the most independent shops and chains goes to—you guessed it—Seattle, with 35. We’re pretty close when it comes to spending though. Compare out $34 per person to their $36 (though that could also mean that we’re more expensive. This is Silicon Valley, after all). As in so many other things, Seattle is followed by Portland, obviously, with 28 shops per 100,000 and $33 per month. Then comes us.

So, how about our neighbors to the north? Well, Denver is fourth, but that makes sense considering how much a steaming cup of coffee helps to warm the extremities during a Rocky Mountain blizzard. Then, and only then, comes San Francisco. They also have 20 coffee shops per 100,000, but they don’t spend quite as much as us there, with just $30 per person. Cheapskates!Read More at The Daily Beast.